Govt plans important legislation during next session of parliament

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to amend the National Accountability Ordinance in the next session.

Sources told Daily Times that National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has been tasked to take the parliamentary parties into confidence on the new legislation.

He has invited all party leaders, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on January 10 at the Parliament House.

Sources said federal ministers Ishaq Dar and Zahid Hamid would brief the parliamentary leaders on proposed amendments in NAB Ordinance and future strategy of the government to tackle the cases related to terrorism after the military courts completed their two-year tenure.

The speaker has summoned the meeting under the directives of Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif.

The meeting is aimed at taking on board all the political parties with regard to current political situation of the country, Karachi operation, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

Sources said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has flatly refused to participate in the meeting and taken the plea if a high-level meeting was to be held then the PM should have presided over it.

The participation of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Ahmed Shah and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Fazlur Rehman in the meeting is also doubtful. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan has assured the government of their participation in the meeting with certain pre-conditions. Contacts are being made with other political parties, sources said.

Close aides of the speaker are making contacts with political parties in this regard, they said.

Separately, talking to reporters in Lahore, the speaker said the government would hold consultations to improve NAB Ordinance.

He was talking to newspersons in Lahore on Saturday after visiting Fazlur Rehman at Ittefaq hospital.

To a question, he said, “As per law a member is de-seated for absence from the house for over forty days and we do not want to use this law against elected representatives.”